Testing instrument.



v B. D. GOPPAGE. TESTING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION PILED'AUG. 4, 1911.

Patented sep1;. 3,1912.

www 4 7 4 6. mA f UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

` BENJAMIN DENVER COPPAGE, 0F lIILMINGTON, DELAWARE TESTING INSTRUMENT.

zSpecification of Letterslatent.

Patented sept. 3, 1912.

Application med August 4, 1911) serial No. 642,355,

ber surface of rubbencovered rolls used in' machines for manufacturing paper.l But the instrument is obviously adapted tothe testing of a wide variety of vmaterials andsubstances. Properties of materials variously known as elasticity, plasticity, viscosity, density, etc., are factors related to the hardness or softness of the materials. Therefore from the indications givenby the test,y for hardness or softness` deductions may be made as to the character anddegree of these other properties, or such of them as may be present.

The instrument operates upon the principle of bringing a spherical or semi-spherical part, indentor or contacter, into contact with the surface of the material to be tested,

then subjecting the indentor or contactorto the gravitating force of a givern weight, and indicating the extent to which the indentor or contacter enters below the normal surface of the material in a given time. As will be evident, the dimensions of the spherical or semi-spherical indentor or contactor may be selected and varied to suit the weight to be applied and the material to be tested; and likewise, that the mass of the weight may -be varied with relation to the dimensions of indentor or cont-actor and the material to be tested. Furthermore, the extent to which the indentor enters the material may be shown by indicating means integrated to various standards or units of distance. For example, most grades of commercial rubber may be tested'by a plastometer in which the sphere or indentor is a hardened steel ball one-quarter of an inch in. diameter subjected to a weight of one kilogram, the movement of the indentol into the materialin a given time, say one minute, being indicated by a micrometer dial gage integrated to 1/100 millimeter. For testing softer materials, a. larger ball yflat surfaces to the surface of the roll,

or lessweight, or both, wouldbe necessary or desirable, while for harder materials 'a smaller ball and greater weight, or both,

-would be ,necessaryv or preferable. Likewise the time' during which the weight is ap.- plied-the testing period-fmay advantageously'be varied wit-h different materials. But with all such variations in dimensions, weight, etc., the instrument still operates upon the principle of bringing a given weight to bear upon the indentor or con.

tactor wit-hout shock, and .0f measuring and indicating the extent to which said indentorv indents or enters below the normal surface of the material in' a given time.

The invention maybe more fullyT understood by reference to the accom anying drawing illustrating what l regar at this time to be a preferred embodiment thereof, though as will be apparent the invention is susceptible of' a. wide variety of embodiments; The particular form of the embodiment may also be adapted to the particular lmaterial or shape of material to be tested and other conditions of use.

In said drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective'view showing the instrument applied to a conveX or cylindrical surface for testing 4the latter; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view,

on a smaller scale, with parts broken away and in elevation, illustrating use of the in-A strument in testing a rubber tire; Fig. 3 is a detail view with parts in elevation and other parts in vertical section; and Fig. 4 is a. detail view-looking from the rear of the indicator with the back of its casing removed-showing the interior mechanism of the indicator.

5 is a circular base-plate havin therethrough an elongated oval slot- 6 an a conical opening 7. As shown in- Fig. 1, this plate has four dependinglegs 8 each having .a spherical or ball formation at its lower end loosely engaging the socket of a foot 9, which latter has a fiat under-face for contacting the surface l() of the material to be tested. The surface 10 may, for example, be the cylindrical surface of a rubber-'covered roll, such as used in machines for manufacturing paper. By reason of this ball and socket connection between the legs and the feet, the latter may present their thereby affording adequate support for the instrument in a fixed relation to ,the surface of the material to be tested.

11 and 12 are vertical, approximately parallel rods or standards fixed at their lower ends in the base-plate 5, and screwthreaded throughout the greater portion of their length.. These standards pass upward through three circular plates or disks 13, 14and 15, the upper disk 15 being fixed to the upper end of each rod 11 and 12 by being clamped between milled nuts 16 and 17 screw-threaded on rod 12, and the nuts 18 and 19 screw-threaded on rod 11. The plate 13 rests against and is supported by annular shoulders on the hubs of sprocket- `wheels 20, 21, adapted to rotate aboutv standards 11 and 12 respectively, each in screw-threaded engagement with its standl ard. The h'ub of each sprocket has a prolongation 22 extending upward through the plate. The sprocket wheels 20 and 21 are connected by a sprocket-chain 23. By niai nipulating the sprocket-wheels and cha-in with the lingers, said wheels may be caused to move up or ldown-according to the. direction of rotationalong the screwthreaded standards 11 and 12, thereby raisl .ing or lowering the plate.13, which adjustment of the platel serves, as will be seen later, to bring the indentor or contactor` .into Contact with the surface of the mate rial to be tested before the weight is brought into action.

" A rod 24 isfixed at its lower end in an opening in plate 13 by means of a set screw 25, passes upward lloosely through openings 26 and 27 in the plates and 14 and 15 -or gage may be employed. The indicator illustrated, the interior construction of which is shown in Fig. 4, comprises a vertical rod 29 movable in a sleeve 30 depending' from the casing 31, said rod having at its upper end rack teeth 32 meshing with a gear wheel 33 of shaft '34, which shaft also c arries a gear wheel 35, meshing with a pinion 36 on a. shaft 37 carrying a gear 'wheel 38, which latter rotates a pinion 39 and its shaft 40, to which shaft is fixed an indicator hand 41 rotatable over a circular dial having 100 integrations, each re iesenting 1/100th of a. millimeter. A light spring 55 tends to hold the rod 29 in the position shown in Fig. 4, with'the nut 56 tested., and before the weight is lowered into action upon the indentor. The rod 29 of the indicator has a screw-threaded socket at its lower end for receiving the screwthreaded upper end of a rod or stem 42,

' which depends vertically through the center -onto the lower end of stem 42, and carrying a steel b all or sphere 44 which constitutes the indentor or contactor for contacting and being forced into the surface of the material to be tested. In testing rubbercovered cylinders for paper machines. for example, I have with success used ball 44 with a vdiameter of 1/4th-of an inch. For harder materials offering greater resistance to indentation, a ball 1/8th of an inch in diameter may be used. Sets of different sized balls with sockets to match may be provided and used according to the character of the material to be tested. The size of the ball, the' bulk of -the weight, and the .period of time during which the weight is applied to the ball, should be so regulated as not to -cause the ball to be pressed into the material a distance greater than onehalf its diameter, this condition having been found to yield the most reliable and accurate tests.

45 is the weight, preferably of cylindrical form, with its outer surface milled to afford a grip in handling. A tubular stem 46 extends downward through a central opening in the weight, said stem having a shoulder 47- above the weight, and a screwthreaded lower -end engaged by a frusto- Aconical nut 48, the lower flattened end 49 of which is adapted to contact the upper flattened end of the socket 43 in applying the weight to the indentor. The nut 48 and the tubular stem 46 surround the rod 42, and above the weight the stein 46 passes upward loosely through central openings in the plates 1.3 and 14. A nut 50 screwthreaded onto the upper end of the stem 46 forms a shoulder adapted to bear against the upper surface of the plate 14 around its central opening, and thereby enables said plate, through the hollow stem, to support-the weight 45 when the same is not 1n action. The plate 14` is adapted to rest upon and be supported by annular shoulderson the hubs of two sprocket wheels 51 and 52, which wheels are rotatable in screw-threaded engagement with the standvards .11 and. 12 respectively. The sprocket- 54 on each sprocket wheel 51 and 52, extendsupward through the plate 14 about its corresponding standard. V

In operating the instrument to test, for example, the rubber surface covering on a roll for use in machines for manufacturing paper, the instrument is first placedupon such roll in the position shown in Fig. 1,

, for example, the plate 14 being raisedto remove any pressure of the weight 45 downward upon the stem 42,'and hence upon the ball-44. Thereupon, the sprocket wheels and 21 are rotated to lower the plate 13, and with it the rod 24, the indicator and its rod 29, the stem 42 and with it the socket 48 and the ball 44, until the ball rests upon the material to be tested and the indicator mechanism has been lowered with relation to the rod 29 thereof sufficient to cause the hand 41 to make one or more backward revolutions against the tension of the relatively weak spring 55. and 52 are then rotated to lower the plate 14, and through it thev tubular stem 46 and weight 45 carried thereby, unt-il'the lower fiattened surface 49 of the nut 48 light-ly` touches the upper flattened surface of the ball socket or holder S43, vwhich touching will be indicated by a slight tremor of the hand 41. If with the parts as now `adjsted, the hand does not standyat zero on the dial, the latter isrotated to move the zero on the dial'exaetly to the hand. With the parts thus set to begin the test proper, the time is taken, and the sprocket-Wheels 51` and 52 are further rotated to lower the Weight until it is fully supported upon the ball-holder or socket 43, the downwardE movement of the plate 14 withdrawing the' latter from Contact with the under edge of j .-the nut 50 on the tubular stem 46. When j the weight has thus been allowed to act by gravity upon the ball 44 for a period of say one minute, the position of the hand k41v is noted, the reading of the dialtaken, and the sprocket wheels 51 and 52 manipulated to elevate the plate 14 and lift the weight 45 from the contacter Assuming the hand to `have reached the 85 mark on the dial, the reading for `the test may be thus I expressed:

.250 i meaning that in one minutes time the ball indented or entered the material a distance of 85/100 of one millimeter, using a weight of one kilogram and a ball 1/4th of an inch in diameter.

Fig. 2 shows the same instrument, on a :smaller scale, as conveniently sup orted and used in testing a .small solid ru er vehicle tire. 60 is the tire resting'up'on a bracketl 61 rigidly held in the jaws of a vise 62. A

screw-threaded rod 63 is positioned verti- Sprocketwheels 51 cally through a screw-threaded opening in the bracket 61, and at its upper end has a milled enlargement 64 adapted to be gripped in turning the rod, and above the 1. In a testing instrumentof 'the character set forth, the combination of a stem,a contacter carried by the stem, a support for the stem, means for imparting movement to said support and through it to the stem to .adjust the position of the contacter with rel-ationto the material to be tested, and a Weight the gravitating force of which is adapted to be applied tosaid contaetor to force the same into the material being tested. Ina testing instrument of the character set forth, the combination of a stem, a contacter carried by the stem, a support for said stem, means for imparting movement to saidsupport and'through it to the stem to adjust the position of the contacter with relation to tnevmaterial to be tested, a weight the gravitating force of which is adaptedto be applied to said contacter and stem to force the'eontactor into the materialv being tested and to correspondingly move the stem, and-an indicator actuated by said movement of the contacter andstem to indieatethe distance of-movement of the con- 'At-actor into the material under test.

- 3f In a testing instrument of the character set forth, the combination of a stem having av contactor thereon, a support for the stem, an indicator through the intermediary of which the stem is suspended 4from said support, and a weight the gravitating force of which is adapted to be applied to the stem to force the eontactor into the material 'being tested. v

4. In a testing instrument of the character set forth, the combination of a contacter,

a weight, and weight supporting means movable from a supporting to a nonfsupporting position to thereby deliver and apply the gravitating,` force of the weight to the contacter to force the same into the material being tested. 'i 5. In a testing instrument of the character set forth, the combination of a stem, a contacter carried by the stem, means for imparting vmovement to the stem to adjust the position of the contactorwith relation to the material to be tested, a weight, and

weight-supporting means movable from a supporting to a non-supporting position to thereby deliver and apply the gravitating force of the weight to the contactor to force the same into the material being tested.

6 In a testing instrument of the character set forth, the combination of a stem, a co-ntactor carried by the stem, means for imparting movement to the stem to adjust the position of the contactor with relation to the material to be tested, a weight, weightsupporting means movable from a supporting to a non-supporting position to thereby deliver and apply the gravitating force of the weight to the contactor to force the same into the material being tested, and an indicator actuated from saidL stem to indicate the distancecof movement of the'contactor intov the material under test.

7. In a testing instrument of the character set forth, the combination of a vertical stem, a contactor carried at the lower end thereof, a weight about the stem, and weightsupporting means movable from a supporting to a non-supporting position to thereby deliver and apply the gravitating force of l the weight to the contactor to force the same into the material being tested.

8. In a testing'instrument of the character set forth, the-combination of a vertical stem, a contactor at the lower end of the stem having a semi-spherical contacting surface, a weight, and weight-supporting means movable from l asupporting to a non-supporting position to thereby deliver and apply the gravitating force of the Weight to the contacter to force the same' into the material being tested.

9. In a testing instrument of the character set forth, vthe combination of a stem, a contactor in the form of a ball carried by the Stemat its lower end,'a Weight, and

Weight-supporting means movable from a supporting to a non-supporting position to thereby deliver and apply the gravitatingv force ofthe Weight to the contacter to force the same into the material being tested.

10. In a testing instrument of the character described, a stem, a contactor at the lower end of the stem, an indicator connected to the upper end of the stem, and a weight through which the stem passes the gravitating force of said Vweight bein adapted to be applied to said co-ntactor an y stem to force the contacter into the material being-tested and through the stem to actuate thev indicator to show the distance of movement of the contacter into the material i under test.

whereof I have-signed this presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

BENJAMIN DENVER ooPrAGE.

Witnesses THos. BUT'rERwoRTH, THo'MAs LEONARD. 

